A Bethlehem police officer accused of using excessive force during a traffic pursuit has been cleared, but a second officer is being investigated for possibly tampering with evidence in the case, authorities announced this afternoon.

A March 8 police pursuit of a suspect who crashed on Elizabeth Avenue in Bethlehem was investigated by Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli.

Bethlehem officer John Nye, who has been with the department for two years, was accused by a witness of using excessive force during the arrest of a man who led police on a 20-minute pursuit through the city.

Police said Cory Vazquez, 19, of Bethlehem, was wanted for driving a car that may have been equipped with stolen parts, Morganelli said. Vazquez ran numerous red lights and traffic signals during the chase, Morganelli said.

After Vazquez's car crashed into a street sign on Elizabeth Avenue, a newspaper reporter, Lynn Olanoff of The Express-Times of Easton, said she saw Nye strike Vazquez four times in the face.

Nye, who has been with the department since 2008, did not use excessive force in arresting Vazquez, Morganelli said. He said after the crash, Vazquez admitted he was trying to escape from police.

While Nye admitted striking Vazquez at least three times, Vazquez did not complain of pain and had no injures, Morganelli said.

He noted his office is still trying to determine how a video of the crash may have been deleted and a second Bethlehem police officer may be involved.

Morganelli declined to name that officer, but said he may have deleted a video surveillance of the crash recorded by a nearby bar.